Possible House GOP plan on immigration: A path to legalization, not citizenship?

posted at 7:21 pm on July 11, 2013 by Allahpundit

House Republicans finally come around to comprehensive immigration reform, but — and this is a BIG but — they do it without a path to citizenship…

1. It’s a middle-ground bill. It brings illegal immigrants out of the shadows but allows Republicans to tell primary voters that they didn’t vote for “amnesty.” Republicans can rightly argue that illegal immigrants aren’t being given an advantage over those going through legal channels to earn citizenship.

2. Republicans can tell their base that they avoided potentially granting voting rights to millions of voters who they fear would vote for Democrats…

3. It would put Democrats in a tough spot. Congressional Democrats who are leading the immigration fight insist that they will not support a bill that stops short of a path to citizenship.

This is basically Rand Paul’s plan. Legalize illegals, but don’t give them any new path to citizenship. Just give them the right to stay and work and, if they want to apply for citizenship, they can wait until after the current applicants for green cards have been processed. So it is a path to citizenship, just … not a clear-cut path. That’s politically appealing for the reasons noted above; presumably it’d also be just fine with GOP-aligned business interests like the Chamber of Commerce, which care a lot about cheap labor and not much about whether those laborers end up voting. (Although they’ll care in due time if conservatives are right about which way illegals are likely to tilt politically.)

Ninety percent of the reason that Republicans have amnesty fee-vah, though, is because of the goodwill it’ll supposedly earn them with Latinos. What happens to that goodwill after the Paul bill passes and Democrats begin attacking it relentlessly as some sort of secret GOP plan to bar illegals from applying for green cards forever? Come 2015, after enough screaming about “second-class citizenship,” even Rand Paul will be eager to vote for a special path for illegals to protect his presidential pitch to moderates. And forget the whole citizenship thing for a second: How are you going to get Democrats to agree to a “path to legalization”? The whole problem with the Gang of Eight bill is that Schumer and the Democrats demanded that legalization happen right away, without any border security trigger. If the House insists on security first, Schumer et al. will walk and start screaming about second-class status for illegals. The goal of the House bill, at a bare minimum, should be to put Democrats on the defensive by crafting a bill that appeals enough to Latino voters that the Dems will be reluctant to shoot it down in the Senate.

Is there a bill like that out there? Maybe:

“My worst fear is slightly different,” [former Harry Reid aide Jim] Manley said, “and that is after some fits and starts, [House Republicans] send over something only dealing with the DREAMer kids and dare the Senate to oppose it.”

Border security in exchange for a path to full citizenship for the DREAMers, the single most sympathetic class of illegals. Democrats will demagogue that too — “how can we grant citizenship to these children while leaving their parents in limbo?” — but the public’s warm fuzzies upon seeing bipartisan support for giving kids a permanent stake in America should hold the left off for awhile. Hopefully the GOP takes back the Senate next year and then they can deal with the rest of the illegal population with a new security-for-legal-status bill written on their terms. Presumably that’s good enough for Beltway Republicans, who are interested first and foremost in building goodwill. Whether it’s good enough for business, given the comparatively minor impact DREAM would have on labor, is another question.

By the way, Obama’s apparently planning to fire a few shots across the GOP’s bow in Spanish-language media to warn them that he’s prepared to go full metal demagogue if they don’t move on amnesty soon. What’s easier for him to exploit, a bill that grants citizenship to DREAMers or a bill that leaves citizenship for all illegals hazy? I’ll leave you with this to meditate on while you form an answer:

Two top House Republicans are writing legislation that would craft a path to legalization for young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children…

“These children came here through no fault of their own and many of them know no other home than the United States,” Goodlatte said in a statement. “This is one component of immigration reform — any successful reform plan must improve our legal immigration programs, strengthen border security and the interior enforcement of our immigration laws, and find a way to fairly deal with those who are currently in the country unlawfully.”

Goodlatte noted that it was part of the House Republicans’ “step-by-step” strategy on immigration reform.

Both of them voted against a version of DREAM three years ago, so this bill might be different in some particulars.

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People don’t understand that word, Legalization. It is not for soundbites. It means they can apply for a green card to work for a set amount of time. But if you tell someone ignorant they are “legalized,” they do not think it ends or they have to go home.

For clues on what the House might do on the ILLEGAL immigration issue, here is a copy of an email that Nancy Pelosi’s office sent in response to a plea for her to vote against granting legal status to millions of ILLEGAL aliens.

Hmmm…I wonder what Nancy Pelosi’s office is telling constituents who are in favor of “Comprehensice Immigration Reform.” How do you think her email response might be different?

Thank you for contacting me to express your views on comprehensive immigration reform. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.

I will continue to work with my House colleagues, the Obama Administration, and the Senate to pass comprehensive immigration reform. We must address the growing disconnect between our nation’s immigration policy and the reality on the ground in cities and communities across our country. Our immigration system needs to honor the promise of America and recognize the enormous contributions immigrants make to our nation. We must enact immigration reform that is humane and honors our American tradition as a nation of immigrants and a land of opportunity for all. At the same time, we must secure our borders, enforce our laws, and ensure the safety of the American people.

We must recognize that America was built by immigrants, and our immigrant communities continue to make significant contributions to our nation. The debate on immigration reform must be framed by our nation’s rich tradition of respect for our shared immigrant heritage. Please be assured that I will keep your comments in mind as we continue our work in Congress to enact immigration legislation that promotes our core American values

Look, all this citizenship talk is bull crap. It is a FACT that only 36% of the LEGAL Mexican immigrants who are eligible to become citizens have chosen to become citizens. Why? Because they get all the benefits of being in the US but still have allegiance to their home country of Mexico. In other words, they want all the goodies without the commitment.
Do you really think the 15 million ILLEGAL immigrants care about citizenship if they get all the goodies of being legal? Good luck with that one. But you better believe the majority of them will find a way to vote…. Democrat.

These idiots are either willfully stupid or willfully traitors. What part of secure the border do they not understand? Do that first before you think of legalization, amnesty, increased guest workers, etc. They also must realize that 1) in conference anything they send will turn into amnesty 2) the idiot in chief will selectively enforce whatever “good” parts of any bill they send and not the “bad” parts 3) the supremes will rule the legalization but not citizenship as a violation of equal protection and presto-chango you have amnesty.

I want the House to pass absolutely nothing. Enforce what we already have on the books and then we can talk about new laws. If something must be passed then pass border security ONLY. Anything more than that and I walk. And I’m done with the R’s FOREVER. I’m tired of Republicans peeing on my leg and telling me it’s raining. I don’t need to vote for Socialism Lite when I can vote for the real thing with Democrats.

Since Obama is sinking in public opinion on so many fronts, the GOP decides to fight back yet they accept the Dem’s premise. Essentially, they’re throwing Obama a life line. Nobody–the base or Latinos–will be happy with the GOP and the Dems will be able to pummel the GOP with a brand new “they hate Latinos” (except the white ones….) meme. They will find a way to make it happen.

Do you really think the 15 million ILLEGAL immigrants care about citizenship if they get all the goodies of being legal? Good luck with that one. But you better believe the majority of them will find a way to vote…. Democrat.

PhilipJames on July 11, 2013 at 7:40 PM

That’s what this is all about. Freebies and an enlarged voting bloc for the Dems. It won’t last though. The weight on the economy cannot be sustained.

Why is any compromise necessary at all? If the GOPers in the House have the power to shut this whole thing down and it’s been pretty well established that Hispandering by the Republicans is a pointless pursuit, why make any kind of deal?

Why is any compromise necessary at all? If the GOPers in the House have the power to shut this whole thing down and it’s been pretty well established that Hispandering by the Republicans is a pointless pursuit, why make any kind of deal?

cynccook on July 11, 2013 at 7:55 PM

I’m convinced that all but the most stupid of the caucus understand it’s not about the Hispandering anymore. Yes, it’d be nice to take away a bludgeon from the left during election time but the R’s know the D’s have all the race-based arguments sewed up for the foreseeable future (until they can get the Rube on the top ticket). Right now it’s all about kowtowing to crony capitalists like Big Agra, Koch Brothers, and other big money people that don’t want restrictions on their illegal workers. So the R’s are just trying to fill their re-election coffers while still appearing as the lesser of two evils to the unwashed masses of Republican voters.

Bad Chiefs who sell out the tribe for trinkets and gold bobbles will for sure sell you out when the bid gets higher when the stakes are much higher later.

Now here within many work as scouts for the invaders, they hire them and hide the crimes.

They line their own pockets and that of the City, State, County, Water Dist., Sewer dist. etal who let the low bids go to the companies who use the most illegals and pay the illegals the least.

It is a orginazed wage slave operation by evil means of leaving OUR BORDERS WIDE OPEN. The U.S.A. is ours, not the personal property of the Two Party Evil Money Cult members who now sell out the constitution and U.S. at the same time.

Just say no and do not back down.

We are all the new Apache and they come for all the land and gold now.

Well, at least once they become “legal” they can openly protest by the millions about their second class citizenship, demanding voting right and such. Then the Dems, the MSM, and RINOs can push making them citizens or grant them every right of a citizen.

This bill is DOA. The Democrats want those 20 million voters on the rolls, and they want them now.

Without them, they stand a good chance of losing control of the Senate next year, and it will be a long, cold day in a very hot place (and I don’t mean Death Valley) before they ever control even a plurality of Statehouses and state legislatures.

This is their chance to become the PRI of the United States, and there’s no way they’re going to settle for anything less.

And once they get that, the fun will really begin. From their point-of-view, that is.

Possible House GOP plan on immigration: A path to legalization, not citizenship?

NO! FOAD.

What is so hard to understand about enforcing the law?? There is no way around the law in order to present gifts of national status of any sort to those who have shat all over our sovereignty in their invasion of our country. Anyone who wants to buckle to the invaders is a traitor who should be deported with them.

If republicans are evil enough to give illegals a path to legalization but not citizenship, I will be the first to campaign for full citizenship.

We can not be a free people if we respect rights to some permanent legal residents but not others. We do not want to be an apartheid society of classes, where some can vote, receive public services, be free to pursue happiness and other’s are restricted. If we do that with illegals today, our children will do it with any other “unwanted group” tomorrow. It’s suicidal to give illegals citizenship, but America and the world will rise up against us if we deny that to them while letting the reside here legally.

I’ve said this several times: Carve illegal immigrants into categories, many of which Democrats can’t object to without looking unreasonable.

Visa overstayer? Deported. These are 40% of all illegal immigrants. And no matter how long it takes to pop up on the radar screen, deported. And forever barred from citizenship. Four or five of the 911 murders were visa overstayers. These are fairly professional types; they knew the rules. They aren’t the baby seals we always read about swimming across the Rio Grande for a better life.

Arrived after 2010? Deported. Your roots aren’t deep enough.

Convicted of anything but a strict liability crime (speeding)? Deported. Shouldn’t public safety be paramount?

Member of a gang? Deported. Same reason.

Used a stolen or fabricated identity to arrive or remain? Deported. These people have broken at least two laws. What kind of citizens would they make? Sure, they’d make great Dems, but I asked about citizens.

Now, we’re down to longer-standing illegal immigrants who managed to keep their noses clean. Here, I’ll open the door to possibilities. Remember, we’d have whittled the population down already. One suggestion might be legalization for those who came here as adults, but never make them citizens. And as for those who came as minors, create some lengthy path to citizenship, which gets derailed up the commission of any crime other than a strict-liability offense.

In the end, I’m tired of the all-or-nothing approach. I think that by whacking the big group into different groups, the GOP can garner a great deal of support and, also, get the public to zero in on the shite the Dems are trying to pull.

BTW: why aren’t the House members of the GOP tied to the hip with the unions representing the border patrol, ICE, and the group dealing with assimilation? They should be the baby seals of the right, along with citizen workers who’ll be hurt by the influx of low-skilled workers.

Legalization is essentially the whole ball game. There then will be all kinds of bleeding heart cries for citizenship and for all kinds of expensive benefits, plus they’ll bring over their extended families or claimed families (DNA tests will be ruled a privacy violation). What a magnet that would create for more illegals.

I will never vote for anyone who votes for any bill that establishes a path to citizenship for persons here illegally. why? because it screws the millions who want to become us citizens the legal way, or who have already done so, thats why.

I’m not okay with that. Parents raise their children abroad in foreign countries legally all the time—without them somehow because of that earning citizenship in that country. Businessmen, diplomats, NGO workers, missionaries, etc., all raise their children abroad—but legally—and it is not some undue hardship that the children do not automatically become citizens of that country.

The same should apply even more so with children brought in and raised here illegally!

Amnesty/pathway/ANY special consideration is just a break in the damn of full amnesty for EVERYONE.

JOBS JOBS JOBS JOBS – I thought Boehner said it was all about jobs! 23 million unemployed Americans and this is just the start of a flood of amnesty provisions that Dems will get in conference and add 10 to 30 million green cards. DUH! Double DUH!!

NO NO NO!!!

Call your Congressman in DC office for free, using a liberal open borders front group’s toll free number

Has anyone ever thought to ask the ILLEGALS if they even want citizenship? Or are they just here for the MONEY?

GarandFan on July 11, 2013 at 8:42 PM

They’re here to take advantage of all of the social services and to send their remittances back home. Citizenship is not their goal. Too many illegals already vote via sloppy ID practices (if any) at the polls, false documentation, and motor-voter tricks.

Well, at least once they become “legal” they can openly protest by the millions about their second class citizenship, demanding voting right and such. Then the Dems, the MSM, and RINOs can push making them citizens or grant them every right of a citizen.

I invite republicans to suck my dick if they legalize any foreign national who is here illegally without first making the border secure, controlling visa overstays, completely implementing E-verify, and abolishing the “right” of citizenship for babies born of foreign nationals who are here illegally.

Oh jeezus Edith, awesome. How did you get that one through? Way to go. Let me add kind sir. When is anyone of those feckless mofos going to step up and ask why immigration enforcement promised in 19effin86 never happened?

And then the supine SCOTUS will say that “legalization” without a chance for a path to citizenship is discriminatory, thus unConstitutional, so the basic idea is national suicidal stupidity once again.

NO! to anything but securing the border and enforcing the existing laws.

The issue isn’t with “citizenship” it is with giving these illegals any kind of legal status before enforcement measures are taken for a number of years to reduce (a) the number of illegals currently here – mostly through self-deportation – and (b) significantly reduce the flow of illegals.

Granting legalization does not address either of those concerns and still produces HUGE incentives for millions more to enter the U.S. legally.

does anyone really believe that many of the illegals care about citizenship? No, they care about legalization because then they are eligible for all the entitlements, eligible to work, etc.

these people simply don’t get it.

They believe that all we care about is “citizenship”?

And, the article is correct that in 4 years, after legalizing the illegals’ status, there will be a “crisis” regarding giving them citizenship. So, we won’t even have taken this whole issue off the table.

What I say is, pass a law that gives current illegals the following option:

Given that they are illegals, and have already broken the law, here is what we do: we let by goes be by gones on their illegality, and offer them a green card WITHOUT ELIGIBILITY OF CITIZENSHIP EVER – they can be resident aliens in perpetuity. Now they are legal, but the fact that they broke in originally had a fair price. OR, and at their option, they can leave, apply for a green card in their own countries, and come here again legally, the way my parents did, when their turn comes, and have all the options of eventual citizenship open to them according to the law.

Fair enough? They can stay, live and work here, but no citizenship ever. Or they can go back, do it all over the right way, and no penalty for the way they stole in once before. Either way, they get something for free, and we get to not give citizenship, the highest privilege we can give a foreigner, to someone who broke into our house and demanded it, as it were.